64 _ Of God's Government, procure them i even ashe is laid togive Chrift himfelf (antecedent]y to OUT Faith )_ to the World as a Saviour. And thus Chrift's Righteouf- nefs, Merit and fitisfa&ion may be laid tobe imputed tous, in that it is thus given ue, and thus truly reputedours. 131. But when the Text faith, Rom..4. 24. Righteoufnefs is imputed to us, the meaning is no more, but that God reputethorjudgeth su righteous, though we have not the Ríghteoulneß of I000cency, orof the Law of Works; which indeed is done for Chrift's meritorious Righteoufnefs procuring it :, But the Text fpeakethnot of Chrift'sperfonal Righteoufnefs in matter or fòrrn, imputed to us as being it felf our own. Imputing Righteoufnefs to us, is a confequent Aft (after Faith ) of Godas Judge, and not an antecedent donation. 132. And it is true that formaliter, non - punire d, premiari , not-to- punifh, and toRewardarenot all one And in fome cafes a man may be freed from punifhment, who is not rewarded : But it is as true as is afore- laid, a. That Gods Salvation, and all his Benefits, are ever free Gifts as to the matter and value firft, and then the relation of a Reward is but fecondary as to the Order ofcollation, and the reafon comparative, why one man bath them rather than another ( as a thankful Childhash the Gift which the Contemner goeth without ). a. And that here, Not to have this Gift ( forfeited by our fn) is to. be punifhed : And fo here non-donari, is puniri materially though the relations differ? 3. And that it is the fame ;Righteoufnefs of Chrifi which meriteth our Impunity quoad damnum & fenfum, and which meriteth our Right to the Gift of Life, both fub rátione doni as a Gift, andfub ratione condonationis as a forgivenefi,of the forfeiture, and of the pana damni : So that here is no room for the conceit, that Chriffs death was only to purchafe Par- don, and his Righteoufnefs to merit Life. That which confoundeth men here is, their taking thedivers Refpect s, and Connotations, and Con- ceptions of one and the fame thing, to be divers feparable things : The fame Law hath the Préceptivepart (to do and not do) and the Retributive part ( penal and rewarding ). The fame Obedience of Adam was a doing what was commanded, and a deferving what was promifed. But more waspromifed to pertvering Perfelfion than to the frf ail ofObe- dience. One Sin deferved death; but one aft of Obediencedeferved not immutable Glory. And as the fame Aft is formally obedience re- lated to the Command, and formally meritorious or premiaudus, as related to the Promif. And the fame Aft isfin and punifhable, as related to the Precept (or Prohibition) and Threatening fo the fame Glory is a feeGift in one refpeft (as related sot bonum to God as Benefactor ) and a Reward in another (as related quoad ordinem conferendi to God as Redlor.) And the fame lofs of Glory ispana related to the Threatening, and it is the lofs of a Reward as related to the Promife. And fo the fame Merits of Chrift's aftive, and paflive, and habitual Righteoufnefs, do caufe our Glory, both by giving us pardon ofour forfeiture, and by Covenant - Donation, and as a Reward to Chrift, and to us whenwe perform the conditionsofhis Gift. 13.3. And it is certain, that Chrift's sufferings are firft fatisfatiory, and then meritorious, being a part of his Active, that is, voluntary Obe- dience. And Chrift's Holinefsand obedience are meritorious of pardon of sin, as well as of salvation. t34. If therebe ( as there is) any thing which is given us through Chrift, more than our own Innocency or Obedience would have meri- ted, the Gift of that is more than remiffion of Sin ; And is to be afcribed accordingly
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